


I Have Found the Love We Stay Alive for Beneath the Scavenging clues

by Abby_nikki1124



Category: Anne with an E (TV)
Genre: Anne Shirley is in love with Gilbert Blythe, Christmas, Christmas Fluff, Cute, F/M, Gilbert Blythe and Anne Shirley Use Their Words, Gilbert Blythe in Love, Gilbert Blythe is Whipped, Happy, Pining Anne Shirley, Sebastian "Bash" Lacroix Ships Gilbert Blythe/Anne Shirley, Sweet, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, scavenger hunt, they are in college
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-22
Updated: 2020-12-22
Packaged: 2021-03-10 23:07:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,565
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28245159
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Abby_nikki1124/pseuds/Abby_nikki1124
Summary: Anne is determined to make sure Gilbert has the best Christmas and tops all the previous gifts she has ever given. Her plan is simple to have Gilbert go on a scavenger hunt, follow the clues, and hope he uncovers the hidden message of her heart.
Relationships: Gilbert Blythe/Anne Shirley
Comments: 10
Kudos: 68





	I Have Found the Love We Stay Alive for Beneath the Scavenging clues

The windows are glazed with frost and small snow crystals, the small beam of sunlight shining through the bedroom reflects among his bookshelf, and the sound of little Delphine laughing echoes from downstairs. The heater radiates the lack of warmth from the night before, and the banging on the door wakes him up.

“Gilby wake up; It’s Christmas Eve Santa is coming!” The little voice speaks from behind his bedroom door. The voice he had dearly missed since starting Redmond, and he is now back home for the holidays, and he desperately craved the feeling of being back in his bed and surrounded by the people he loved. However, he did not miss waking up early. 

“I’m up! I’m up! Good morning love bug.” He opens the door to see Delphine standing waiting patiently with her hands behind her back and her bright brown eyes smiling at him. 

“Morning Gilby, guess what? You will never guess.” She grabs his hand and leads him downstairs, where the rest of the family are eating their breakfast.

“Hmm, let me think. Your papa finally decided he’s going to ask out the nice teacher from your school.” He puts his finger up to his chin as if he was thinking and taking a sip of his coffee.

“Papa will not do that, but uncle Gilby can finally get the nerve to ask a certain someone out,” Bash speaks out from behind the newspaper he is reading.

“No sillies, Santa told me to be their little helper and deliver this to you, Gilby.” She takes out a small red envelope with his name written in gold and green glitter glue.

Gilbert looks around the table to see if the others know what this is about, and Delphine just makes a gesture of her sealing her lips and goes back to devouring her pancakes.

Gilbert opens the letter and reads it to himself.

_ “ Dear Gilbert, it’s Christmas eve! Do you know what that means? Christmas magic, and when there is magic, there are possibilities and happiness. Cheesy, I know. You’re smiling right now, aren’t you? Good, we need more smiley Gil in this world. Well, as commissioned by herself as Santa’s helper to bring said Christmas joy. I have planned a grand scheme to make this one of your best Christmas ever. So Gil, welcome to the very first letter of many today because you will go on a scavenger hunt. Made by your very own best friend. Your first clue is hidden in a place where you always seem to get yourself stuck in the medical world. Hint: It holds many papers with words on them. Good luck!  _

_ Sincerely, Anne and P.S tell Delly that Santa is very grateful for their little helper, oh and dress warm! _

Gilbert finishes the rest of his breakfast and heads straight for his bookshelf in his room. Through the mass and stockpiles of medical and poetry novels. He sees one small glint of gift wrapping paper in between his oldest books. He takes it out from its hiding spot; the small parcel is covered in reindeer gift wrapping paper. Gilbert unwraps it to see a dark leather-bound journal engraved with his initials in gold. As he opens the journal, he finds another small envelope with a message written.

_ “So Gil, you have found the first clue already? I knew you would. I hope you like the notebook; it is one of the many presents to come along with this adventure. You always got yourself stuck with taking so many notes, but I think you need one just for your thoughts or new medical discoveries. I know you will come up with many bright ideas. You will also see in the many upcoming envelopes a letter. Keep hold of these. You never know what they will uncover. Your next clue is where we first told each other our deepest secrets and where we ate lunch every day after we got kicked out of the library for laughing too loud. Good luck! _

Gilbert immediately knew what this place was and set off to get ready as fast as possible, taking a shower, brushing his teeth, and dressing in his navy blue coat and a black beanie—heading out the door. When he read the letter, he knew precisely where the first clue would be. The place where they first finally became real friends and told each other small snip bits of their childhood. It wasn’t something that he had expected to happen, but one minute they are talking about their science project, and the next, Anne points out a tree that she would have loved to climb and pretend that there were no other worries or the past to haunt her. They exchanged some of their trials and tribulations that day, and from that conversation on; They became closer than before. It was also the moment Gilbert was convinced he would make sure he would get her to smile more because Gilbert knew he wouldn’t last a day without seeing her happy.

The small bench was still there perched under the tree covered in snow and the last of the fallen leaves from the trees. A tiny glint of red caught Gilbert’s eyes peeking from under, and he reached underneath, grabbing a slender rectangular box again wrapped this time in the same wrapping paper. Amazingly, it didn’t get soaked through the amount of snow that has fallen. Unwrapping the gift laid a sleek black pen, one that reminded him very much of Anne’s except hers was gold. Attached to the lid written in Anne’s handwriting,

“ _ You found me! Gil, you always took my favorite pen, and I think now it is about time you had your own. Don’t lose it! Your next stop is somewhere I always spent my time at, had endless sleepovers, and would go to when I needed to complain about you being annoying—just kidding- maybe.” _

Gilbert took out the pen and saw underneath a small post with the letter _“_ ** _I_** _”_ and quickly grabbed his notebook and wrote down the letter. It was funny how many times he would always have her pen. It came to the point that whenever they would sit together in class, Anne would just give it to him and get the other she packed for herself. 

Gilbert heads the opposite way of the school towards the shortcuts through the haunted woods as Anne had called it. He didn’t bother driving when he knew most of the places he probably would have been led to were within walking distance. The site was Diana’s; Anne spent her time there almost every day and had Friday night sleepovers. It was their tradition. It was also the place where Anne would hide when they went to parties on a weekday. He doesn’t know how many more clues he will need to go through, but he isn’t surprised that Anne would go through the trouble of doing something like this. It’s one of the reasons why Gilbert loves her and would always have a soft spot in his heart. Not that he has told her how he felt yet, but he thinks that there could be potential of them becoming more than friends. 

Diana is already outside the door bundled in a baby blue sherpa jacket and her infamous blue ribbon in her hair. 

“Thought you froze out there, Blythe?” She admits and shakes a bit from the cold.

“Aww, Diana, were you worried about me?”

“No, but if your ass was frozen and I didn’t see you within a certain time frame, Anne would have gotten ballistic. She already called like five times, and then you would have had to answer to her.” She threatens, and Gilbert rubs the back of his head nervously because they both know what happens when Anne is worried or, worse, angry. 

“Alright, come on, it’s cold as the tundra, and I can’t feel my nose.” She gestures towards the door, and he follows.

They walk into the warm home that smelled of sugar cookies and sweets, the fireplace is lit, and Minnie May is lying on the couch with a platter of chocolate chips and gingerbread cookies laid on her stomach. Taking bites now and then and watching Home Alone. 

“These are for you” Diana hands him a basket full of sugar cookies shaped and iced like honey bears with a red and black plaid scarf.

“If you don’t want them, Gilbert, I’ll take them. They’re delicious.” Minnie May pipes up from the couch.

“Minnie May!” Diana shouts at her sister.

“Thanks for the offer, but how about I give you one instead?”

“I knew I liked you for a reason.” Minnie May comes around and hugs him snatching a cookie. 

Gilbert smiles at the little girl and reads the next clue.

_ “I hope you’re hungry or in the mood for something sweet. These are baked fresh. I made them this morning. I mean, my sugar decorating is not professional, but it has a homemade and authentic look. Do they seem familiar? You won this bear for me at the school’s winter fair. I was so sad because I got a C on an essay that I worked hard on. But you just told me that it wasn’t my fault; it was that grouch of a teacher that can barely pronounce the word incompetent. You always loved my writing Gil and I always and will still appreciate it. That night became one of the best nights, and I may have kept Mr. Bear with me. I’m talking too much, but the next gift will be our favorite spot that smells like apples in the fall and fresh soil in the spring.” _

A sticky note was stuck to the many packaged cookies in the basket with the letter _“_ ** _L_** _.”_ Gilbert wrote this in his notebook and thanked Diana and Minnie May and started in the direction going straight back home. 

The small tree amongst the many other big ones lays right in the vast field, the tree containing a little open nook. Anne and Gilbert found it when they were out in the area, trying to find a hiding spot from their guardians. Before, they were to be picked and told to help with the chores. It was also the place where they read. Anne always laid her head against Gilbert’s lap while he would play with her hair. It was Gilbert’s favorite part of the day, and it was always the time he looked forward to; with her hair red and shiny from the small rays of the sun and her eyes crinkling from smiling or laughing at the dumb jokes, he would make. They haven’t been back at this tree since they started college, but he’s glad she remembers it as much as he did. Gilbert reaches into the little nook and takes out a book wrapped in red ribbon and another red envelope. The text in hand titled Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman. Opening the envelope, he sees a particular page number at which he opens the book and there highlighted, _“_ _We don't read and write poetry because it's cute. We read and write poetry because we are members of the human race. And the human race is filled with passion. So medicine, law, business, engineering... these are noble pursuits and necessary to sustain life. But poetry, beauty, romance, love... these are what we stay alive for_ _._ ” Right underneath it in Anne’s handwriting was the letter “ ** _O,_** _”_ and the next clue explained.

_ “In the vast night, we lay, and there lit up upon us a hundred constellations.” _

In his notebook, Gilbert wrote the next letter, put the book into the basket of cookies, and went towards the small field not too far from where the tree was. It was the place where they lay in the spring and summer nights after a long day at school to gaze up at the stars. Anne always told him how it was like time stopping and feeling as the universe was at peace. Gilbert would always be distracted, he would stare at her as she would go on for hours about different myths and dreams of each star, and he’d wonder how her freckles reminded him of those stars scattered in the sky like each a special wish and dream Gilbert made when he was a kid. They each made a name for a star every time they thought a new one came into the sky. The field covered in snow was way too cold to lie in, and he now knows why Anne had told him to dress warmly. But there laid a small box, and inside was the complete series of Harry Potter. He grabbed the note reading the contents.

_ “win gar dium levi ohhh sa, you can’t see me, but I am flicking a wand as I repeat those words. We will be having a movie marathon soon with these movies; you remember when I convinced you to go as Ginny and Harry. You told me absolutely not because you refused to wear anything resembling a uniform. But that was because your dumbass has never seen the movies and didn’t appreciate the culture, so I made you watch it. You loved it in the end, and we won the costume contest. Then I said, “In your face Blythe!” You admitted defeat that day. It was the best Halloween I had. Now for your next clue, this is a place I always caught you sleeping on and where our incredible Disney Nights took place.  _

_ P.s. I thought you made a very handsome Harry Potter.  _

Gilbert blushed at the thought of Anne calling him handsome, his face became suddenly warm, and his ears burned red. He was in love with Anne and deeply in love at that fact. The fact that she even did this showed him she was even more amazing. The next letter he saw accompanied with the DVD’s was “ ** _V_** _”_ and jotted that down.

He was again going back towards his home, but this time inside his home. He knew it was the couch. He can’t remember how many times he would fall asleep on that thing while studying. Anne would just hit him with a pillow screaming bloody murder until he woke up. They would also have Disney nights, a tradition that started when they once took care of Delphine, and the little girl insisted on watching the Little Mermaid. Gilbert admitted he hadn’t watched many Disney movies, and Anne and Delphine gasped, pressing they watch every film there is. From then on, they had every Thursday night as Disney night. 

The house was warm and smelled of stew. He can hear Delphine laughing and catches them sitting at the spot where his next clue was.

“Gilby, your back and with gifts!” She runs towards him and goes straight for the basket of the sugar cookies. 

“Delphine, those are your uncles. Don’t eat all of them.” He heard Hazle tell his niece as she shoves a cookie in her mouth, smiling at her grandmother. 

“Back from your adventure so soon?” Bash questions him.

“Nope, not yet. I have another clue, and you are sitting on it.” Gilbert gestures to the couch, and Bash gives him a questioning look.

“Just move. I need to check behind the cushions or something to see if there is anything.” He goes towards the couch and nudges Bash away, and moves the cushion to find a rectangular box. 

It was sour patches, his favorite candy, and the only candy he liked. 

“Aww, did she get you sour patches because you’re sour and then sweet? Very fitting for Gilby.” Bash teases.

Gilbert ignores Bash and reads the small card along with it.

_ “Gil, I honestly don’t know how you only like one candy when there are so many more to have and choose from in the entire world. Regardless at least I know they will never run out at the grocery stores. These were my favorite nights, and it was something I always looked forward to in the week. Now, Gil, there are only three more gifts left. Are you ready? I admit I am a bit anxious to see how you will react at the end of this. But for your next task, this is where we made up stories of slaying dragons to an adorable little princess.”  _

_ P.s. I may have eaten some of the candy. Being Santa’s helper is exhausting.  _

_ Oh, and the letter you are looking for is “ _ **_E._ ** _ ” _

He takes the notebook out and writes the next letter out, too focused on finding out what is the ending prize, he doesn’t notice what the letters spell. He ran straight into Delphine’s room, and perched on top of her bed was a red and black plaid scarf like the ones on the bear. There was a post-it with the letter _“_ ** _Y_** _”_ attached to it. It was soft and smelled like lavender and honey, almost like Anne. The red note attached to the scarf had said. 

_ “Well, try it on! I did good, didn’t I? I know it feels soft because I had to try it on. After all, who the hell wants a scratchy scarf? The real reason why I got you a scarf is that you, Gilbert John Blythe, don’t prioritize yourself enough. The last time you worked yourself to the bone and had gotten strep throat from working all night. I had to last a week without your lame medical puns, and I needed help on my biology homework that week. You know that one class where the professor got mad at me for literally just asking a question. I admit I also missed you terribly throughout the week. I was worried, then I found out it was because you’re dumbass forgot to wear anything relatively warm then I was just mad. So, Gil, please use this scarf as a reminder to take care of yourself.” _

_ P.s Your next present is something that gets you from point A to point B. _

Gilbert kept the scarf wrapped around him, printing the next letter, and immediately shutting the notebook and ran to his car. To focused on finishing this scavenger hunt, he doesn’t stop when Bash questions where he is going. He immediately unlocks his vehicle to look for his next gift or clue. He has no idea what she’s planning, but Gilbert loves having to solve the different puzzles and reminisce about their friendship. Gilbert looks around and doesn’t notice anything out of the ordinary and thinks about if he were Anne, where would she hide things in a car. Then he remembers the number of napkins she would stuff in his glove compartment and an emergency on the go kit with hand sanitizers, a pair of socks, some thread, a sewing needle, Tylenol, and some hair ties. Gilbert never minded when she would do things like this. He loved how she was always prepared, and he’d admit that the kit came in handy on more than one occasion. He opened the glove compartment, and there a small little globe keychain stuffed right next to the kit. Sitting in the passenger seat, he opens the envelope and reads her last and final clue.

_ “Gil, you always told me about the adventures you took while you needed to leave Avonlea for a bit. You told me how you wanted to see more of the world to see what was out there. You have so many ambitions and dreams, and I admire you for that. I may not be able to give you the whole world, but I can give you this, spin the key chain, close your eyes, and choose your next adventure. Just know Gil, you became a part of my home, and I hope to be able to experience some of those adventures you dreamt of. I hope I can be a part of your world for as long as you want me to. “ _

_ P.S: Your last clue is the place where we first spent Christmas together as a family.  _

_ Your 2nd to the last letter is “ _ **_O._ ** _ ” _

_ See you soon. _

Gilbert takes a second leaning his head against the headrest of the seat, trying to take in everything he has been through the day. It was too much all the gifts and these words Anne has given him. He loves her, and when he had closed his eyes, envisioning what his world would be like, all he saw was freckles that are dotted right on her nose bridge, the color of auburn like the leaves in October, the blue in the vast oceans he crossed, and the laugh that makes spring flowers bloom. He saw Anne. Gilbert takes the pen he was given, jots down the letter O, and finally looks at the letters as a complete whole. The letters, **_I, L, O, V, E, Y, O,_ ** and like the springs in a clock, his heart wounded, and his world became more transparent and time-stalled. Then Gilbert ran he ran to the place where the girl held his heart in her hands, to the girl that he would be willing to go to the depths of the world to make sure she would never feel unloved again.

Green Gables was warm, and it smelled of baked goods. There was no one home; the small Christmas lights surrounded the house and little snowflake cutouts hanging from the ceiling. No doubt it was Anne who did that. The last gift was wrapped and set on top of the dining table. Gilbert slowly makes his way picking up the rectangular present and unwraps it seeing a framed picture of Anne and him at the bonfire. On the summer before the start of college and their friends had decided to throw a bonfire for old times sake. In the picture, Gilbert is giving Anne a piggyback, and they are both smiling at one another. The flames from the fire catching glimpses of their shadows among the sand. It was one of his favorite pictures and had as his background on his phone for a while. Gilbert smiles and takes a breath in, finally unfolding the last note reading to himself.

_ You finally made it to the last gift! But it’s not over yet; go to the living room to find the last letter. It will be underneath the tree. _

_ Xoxo Anne.  _

Gilbert feels his feet lead him to the room and turns to see Anne in an emerald green sweater, leggings, and her hair down in curls. She has her hands behind her back and smiles at him. The lights from the tree illuminate her hair, and the room around them. The sky has turned dark, and the fireplace is on, making sounds of crackling wood. 

“Hi,” Anne says, shyly pivoting back and forth on the heels of her feet.

“Hey, Anne, you didn’t have to do this?” He tells her, and she rolls her eyes, giving the expression as if she knew he would say that.

“I wanted to though Gil, I promised you an unforgettable Christmas, and I always keep my word.”

“You do always keep your word. Speaking of words, I was promised one more letter to unsolve this puzzle.” 

“Why I think you are right. Here open it at the bookmark,” Anne gives him a thumb dictionary, the thumb dictionary he gave her when they were younger. Gilbert opens the tab and sees the letter  _ “ _ **_U_ ** _.”  _ He knows what the hidden message is, but he wants to make sure, and so he opens his notebook and writes the final note. The clues unfolding the words of  **_I LOVE YOU._ **

Gilbert looks up at Anne, who is biting her lip and cheeks red as the sunset on that bonfire night. Her eyes glassy, and her nose scrunched looking at him.

“You love me?” He gets closer to her, notebook and pen forgotten dropped on the floor.

“Gilbert Blythe, when I was trying to find something to get you for Christmas, I couldn’t think of anything that would be perfect for you. Then I kept thinking why It was so challenging to come up with something that would be right for you. One minute I was looking at a scarf, the next I started to think about was how I felt when you were not at school for that week when you got sick. I didn’t like it one bit; It wasn’t warm when you weren’t around; I kept peering over at your seat to see you react the same way I did about an assignment, It felt different. Not the different like where Diana had gone away for her trip that one spring. It was the type of difference where for some reason, I could not stop thinking about where you were, how you felt, if you got home safe, when was the last time you smiled, when you laughed, and whether you were happy. I’m sorry it took me so long to say something and realize how I have felt about you. I meant every word from the scavenger hunt. The way I admire how you turned all your pain into wanting to help others, how you always listen to me when I go on tangents about anything and everything, how you named stars with me, how you make me feel safe like that bear you won for me, hell the fact you even dressed up for Halloween for me. Gilbert, do you know how gorgeous you looked? And I just had to mask that feeling of wanting to run my hands through your hair and push those emotions deep down. My goodness, you even watched Disney movies every Thursday night. You, Gilbert Blythe, are one of a kind, and I don’t know how I didn’t fall in love with you sooner. Remember that poem I highlighted? the ending, “But poetry, beauty, romance, love..these are what we stay alive for.” I don’t want to live in a world where my life has none of those in it. I want you and your world, our world because I love you, Gilbert Blythe.” Anne confesses, and there are tears in her eyes; she grabs Gilbert’s hand and repeats the words,

“I love you.” 

“Anne, I have loved you the moment I first saw you in pigtail braids and hit me with that textbook.” He gets closer, cupping her face wiping away any tear that falls.

“It was a softcover, you big baby.” They both laugh.

“You had a hell of a swing then.” He whispers and kisses her cheeks one by one. Her eyelids fluttered. 

“Shut up and kiss me,” she whispers, and he kisses her forehead and then the tip of her nose.

“So bossy” He teases her, his lips ghosting over hers.

Anne grabs him by the lapels of his coat and kisses him. He brings her closer, cupping her cheek, the other arms around her waist, leaving no room between them. She runs her hands through the hair at the nape of his neck. Both smiling through the kiss and slowly breaking apart with their foreheads resting against one another, giving one another small kisses repeatedly until they laugh.

“Merry Christmas Gil, I love you.” 

“Merry Christmas Anne, I love you more. 

**Author's Note:**

> Merry Christmas! well, almost Christmas. Did you guys like it? Was it what you were expecting? would love feedback! It took a while to come up with something creative and jolly. But I thought why not a scavenger hunt I also think it is the most adorable way to confess your love for someone. It screams Anne and Gilbert. Also, big thanks to Alessandra aka @tragicalanne for helping me please go check her work out or follow her on Twitter!  
> Okay be safe, I hope you have guys have a great Christmas or holiday weekend. I'll be back soon, I have plans.  
> Come join me on Twitter: @meadowspirts


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